Types of Marine Jobs: Pump Man

One of the important merchant marine jobs on oil rigs is that of a pump man. In terms of merchant marine employment, the absolute requirement of a pump man to work on oil rigs has been proved time and again because pump man helps to maintain a steady and smooth functioning of the entire pipelines fitted in an oil rig or oil tankers.
The pump man’s job is something that requires continuous vigilance and alertness because he is the main person in-charge of the pipelines of an oil rig and oil tanker vessels like VLCC. His job is to ensure that all the cargo oil or drilled oil flows smoothly into the required pipes and is collected as required. If there is any problem of sludge(dirt and waste materials) accumulating in any of the numerous pipelines then the pump man has to make sure that all such waste material is duly cleaned so that no problem or hitch in the oil drilling or oil transferring process occurs. He is also responsible for repairing of damaged pipelines before any accident stands to occur.
This is why the pump man is a part of the engineering hierarchy of an oil rig. His duty necessitates that he is physically present all days of a week for work hours that vary anywhere between eight to 12 hours per day. This is the reason why as a part of merchant marine employment, pump men get paid around US $ 50, 000 as their starting pay scale.

Another very important feature about this particular profession when compared to other merchant marine jobs is that their work schedule is generally drawn for a longer time that could extend to several and long months in a year. However, when compared to other merchant marine employment, the profession of a pump man does not offer any safeguard measures or security with respect to the job.

A pump man, in addition to keeping an eye on the pipelines also has to be very efficient while responding to emergency situations. To put it simply, the duties of a pump man can be explained as being threefold: supervision, maintenance and critical-situation response.

Experience is an important factor that counts more than educational qualification in order to opt for merchant marine employment of that of a pump man. The more experience a person has, the better it is while handling the operations on oil rig as a pump man.

Being a pump man is again one of those professions that are unique and singular. Out of the various merchant marine jobs, the profession of a pump man offers a person the chance to enjoy and be a part of the oil drilling process and also simultaneously understand how the entire technical and engineering aspects function on an oil rig.

How to Use “Google Alerts” to Find Maritime Jobs?

We assume that you are a fresh graduate, just out of a maritime academy, or an experienced maritime professional who is looking for a desperate change by finding a new job. You have already checked every website from the list of maritime job websites and have even posted your resume in each one of them. But we know that landing oneself a job is not an easy task, especially in this difficult economy. Moreover, keeping a constant watch on the latest job postings on all these maritime job sites can turn out to be a tedious task.

But as they say sometimes when you want something the most, there is no easy way out. The only way is to keep trying, hard and even harder. It may take few days, few weeks, or even few months to get a decent maritime job. However, if you carry out your job hunting smartly, you can reduce this time drastically.

Internet has made things extremely easy in almost all arenas, including the maritime jobs sector. In this article, we will learn about an unconventional way to keep yourself updated with the latest maritime job postings on the whole of world wide web, as and when it happens.

Let’s find out how to use “Google Alerts” to find a maritime job.

Find the step-by-step procedure to set up Google Alert in your Gmail Account.

1. First and foremost thing you would need to set up google alert service is a gmail account. If you don’t have one, make one here – Free Gmail Account

2. Now go to Google Alerts and Sign in with your Gmail Username and Password.

Go to Google Alerts

Your Google Alert Page Would Look like this

3. On the screen you will find 3 options to set-up. Select the three options as mentioned below:

•  Type: Everything

• How Often: As-it-happens

• Volume: All results

If you have logged in using your gmail username and password, the “Your Email” Option would reflect your email id.

4. Now in the top-most space, beside the “Preview Results”, put a keyword which would reflect the type of maritime jobs you are looking for. We would put a general term to get a wide range of results. For e.g. –“ Merchant Navy Jobs”

 After entering the appropriate keyword, hit “Preview Results”. You will get a preview on your right side.

 5. If you are satisfied with the keyword and the preview, hit “Create Alert”.  You will be taken to the list of your google alerts. You may create more alerts, by clicking “create a new alert”. Congratulations! You have just created your first google alert.

6. Once done, your gmail account will start receiving updates of the latest job postings around the internet on various maritime job websites and forum boards.  (This might take from few minutes to few hours).

Below are some keywords you may use to generate alerts. You can generate as many keywords as you want.

Keywords:

• Merchant navy jobs
• Maritime jobs
• Marine Engineering jobs
• Deck Cadets Jobs
• Deck officer Jobs
• Ship’s Captain Jobs

Use your creativity with keywords and keep a watch on the type of alerts you receive. You can add or delete alerts according to your requirements.

Google Alerts is a useful tool not only to keep a track of various maritime jobs on the internet, but is also a great way to keep oneself updated with the latest maritime trends and news.

How to Become a Marine Engineer?

Marine engineering is a job that is very much sought after in recent years. The growth of the industry and the continued research and development in the field has rubbed off on the academic study of this engineering field and more people have started to opt for it. The increase in the commercial activities, across the seas also had a positive impact on marine engineering with unprecedented rise in the number of merchant navy vessels and trading. All this has had a positive impact on the job market in this dynamic sector. Certain attributes are pre-requisite for any job on the merchant navy or as a marine engineer, whereas there are other required qualifications which are different for different profiles.

There are colleges that offer both degree and post graduate courses in marine engineering. For someone who has ambitions of becoming a marine engineer, this is supposed to be the first base. The eligibility, required to take an admission in these courses is pretty much the same around the world and that is senior secondary certificate.

Representation Image – Credits: fotolia.com

The length of the graduate course of engineering may vary slightly in some countries, but in general it is 4 years, wherein the student undergoes comprehensive training in both theoretical as well as practical aspects of the science. In some cases the practical sessions are conducted in-house and some of the sessions are also conducted at the real sites like shipyards.

The theoretical subjects include, apart from English, which is the most widely understood and used language in merchant navy, computer science, applied mathematics, physics, electronics and marine management. Besides these there are also many other topics that are covered and students are educated regarding environmental science, maritime commerce and control systems etc. These trainings are necessary for anyone aspiring to be a marine engineer or want a job in the merchant navy because it not only adds to the mental abilities but also inculcates physical attributes. Practical training of the aspirant includes Magnetic and Gyro compasses, electronic navigational aids like the Radar, Decca etc, Chart work, practical navigation and astronomy.

For better prospects in the existing job or the open job market, a Masters degree in marine engineering is definitely advisable. The training albeit enhanced is not that difficult, especially for a graduate student of the same discipline as it comprises mostly of lab hours that put into practice the various principles of engineering studied previously. Creating a portfolio helps anybody trying to climb the hierarchy of seniority in the merchant navy. In any case, the most successful in this field are definitely the ones who had a clear idea of what they wanted out of this industry and which of their characteristics suited it the best.

With the recent studies predicting a steady growth in the international trade, this industry is more or less set to keep on progressing. This is because ‘shipping’ is still the easiest and cheapest mode of transportation around the world. Therefore the profile of a marine engineer would remain a center of attraction for the youths for long time to come.

What does the Term “Port of Call” Means?

Port of call means an intermediate stop for a ship on its scheduled journey for unloading and loading of cargo or taking on supplies or fuel.

While the term ports is broadened and generalised to include facilities and amenities feasible to people and cargo, a port of call has an altogether different meaning and interpretation.

Ports of call are in fact a part of the sub-divisions to the generalisation made to the term ports and are used for all types of vessels.  Port of call is a technical term which is used in all official shipping documents. For cruise ship, port of call is the premier stop from where they take on passengers for their cruise holidays. Technically, cruise ports are tagged under the sub-division of sea-harbours, which also includes cargo harbours.

Ports of Auckland – Credits: wikipedia.org

Port of call can include both inland harbours and marine sea ports that cater to vessels transiting internationally. Further sub-dividing them, there can even be fish harbours where fishes are lugged and disseminated, cargo harbours where cargo is dispersed and a dry harbour where vessels’ maintenance and refurbishing is carried out. A marine port, tagged as a port of call, refers to a port where a ship halts so that passengers can embark and disembark appropriately or in case of cargo ships, load or unload goods.

When it comes to cruise ships, ports of call are already pre-assigned in a cruise vessel’s potential itinerary and as such the vessel is required to visit these ports within the specified time-frame. Though it’s the same with cargo ships, the port of call might change as per the requirements.

Along with the boarding and debark of voyagers, at a ship port, the necessary requirements to sustain the voyagers and the crew is also loaded onto the vessels. This further adds to the indispensability of these ports.  Apart from these elaborations about a port of call, the interpretation of the term also includes a person’s intended pit-stop while undertaking a long recreational trip.

Ports form an indispensable component of the oceanic domain. Without their presence, the whole aspect of maritime operations becomes redundant. Over the years, the development of technology has brought about a lot of improvements in the port sector, thereby adding to its import and credibility in its routine state-of-affairs.

An Overview of the Profession of Steward on a Ship

To put it simply, in layman terms, a Ship’s Steward is a person who is supposed to be in charge of organizing and preparing the task of dinner arrangements. There can be cabin Stewards too, whose main job requirement is to take adequate care of the passengers’ cabin rooms i.e. maintain the general cleanliness of the room and so on and so forth. In other words, a Ship’s Steward is like the housekeeper of the ship and just like a housekeeper’s role in a house, a Steward’s role in the smooth functioning of a ship is indispensable.

How to Become a Steward on Ship?

In order to become a Steward one needs to have a simple list of qualities. A person aspiring to be a Ship’s Steward should be able to interact with the public well. This is the first and the foremost quality that any aspirant for the profession of a Steward needs. Since the job requirement necessitates a person mingle with the passengers so as to provide them with good infrastructure aboard the ship, the ability to interact amicably is something that any Steward and any potential aspirant needs to possess in large amounts.

In addition, a person aspiring to be a Steward should be adept in a variety of languages as in his profession, he will be meeting and interacting and helping people from various nations across the world, some of them who might not know how to speak English. Also, an aspiring Steward should have basic computer knowledge along with politeness and an ability to work as a good team member. These three requirements are also very important when it comes to choosing the profession of a Steward as they would help an aspirant to settle in the job well without compromising on much.

Advantages and Disadvantages

In terms of compromising, advantages and disadvantages the profession of being a Ship’s Steward promises a lot of lucrative incentives along with a few token negatives. Since a ship travels through many places, some of them really exotic, the profession offers a person the chance to see new places without worrying about traveling expenditure and other such financial details. The employment covers all that is required to be covered thus allowing the person to view the world from one’s own eyes than through posters and pictures displayed by others. Also, there is the chance to meet and interact with people from various nations and understand the culture of the nation to which the voyager belongs to.

At the same time, one major disadvantage of being a Steward is that one would not get that much free time as one would want to have. Because of the nature of the job, a Steward is mostly restricted to heavy line of duty and is place of stay in the ship is also not advantageous. A Steward’s cabin is located in the depths of the ship as opposed to being a part in the top rooms. Therefore, these aspects make it very difficult for a steward to participate in the many activities happening in the ship which could lead a person getting bored with the nature of the profession.

Salary of a Steward

As regards to the payment, the payment that is offered to a Ship’s Steward is quite lucrative because of the nature of the profession. Therefore when it comes to payment, a person aspiring to be a Steward will find it quite generous. Also, there is the aspect of tips involved. If a passenger likes the services provided by a particular Steward, then the amount of tips given increases substantially thus adding more money to the pocket of the Steward.

In terms of experience, while it is not mandatory that a Steward needs prior experience as a housekeeper, it would be to the advantage of an aspirant if he has prior housekeeping experience as it would help him in his current profession considerably.

Choosing a profession is something that everyone takes very seriously. Choosing a profession like a Ship’s Steward is like choosing a unique profession because the nature of the job is completely unlike the more routine CPA, MBA programs. Therefore it is important that one chooses being a Steward with more care and responsibility because a Steward being responsible is important for the well being of the passengers in a ship.

6 Recruitment Scams Every Mariner Should be Aware Of

Employment scams can be a pretty nasty thing considering the kind of advantage the fraudsters can take of unnoticing people and what you stand to lose. If you are a mariner, there are several recruitment scams that could take you for a ride. Prudence is your only defense. We bring to you six types of recruitment scams which are widely prevalent in the maritime market.

1. False agency

One of the most unfortunate events in a job hunt would be to run into a promising job agency that offers you a dream job, only to find out it was in fact bogus. A “phoney” agency would have everything to pass off as a real one- official looking website, contact numbers, email addresses but it would be a maze of never ending search.

Representation Image – Credits: zimmytws/depositphotos.com

Such a website is most likely to flaunt many promising job offers, not to mention a glowing past record of successful recruitments. On the flip side, an agency looking a bit too guarded with box numbers and distant addresses and no real contact information can also be just as fake. If that’s what you have run into, you might want to hit the ‘look- closely’ button.  Check for the email address and the domain. If the agency or the company uses a free email service (eg: yahoo, gmail, MSN etc) then you should know it’s not what you think it is.

2. Pay before you get a job

All employment scams involve people being sliced off for their hard earned money. Fake companies and fraudsters thrive on people’s desperation to find a well suited job. This is their way of rubbing you of valuable bucks. This is often done in name of

• Procedure

• admission fee

• recruitment fee

• air fares

• visa

• work permit

•  security for the job

• Payment for forwarding resumes to companies

In most cases, you would be promised your money back on receiving the job. That has never happened. When an agency seeks money for any kind of services, you should know something is fishy. Such recruitment scams may promise you a lucrative job. However, what is important to know is that under international Maritime convention, you cannot be asked to pay for a job before you actually get it. A company doing that is most probably not even a company.

3. Posting Resume on a website

A website allowing you to post your resume on it for free is most likely running a work scam and not a social worker. This fraud aims at collecting people’s job information which can later be sold to the employers. This is where the profit for the scam runners comes in while both the other parties are left with nothing in their hands. At some stage, they will convince you that you are just one step away to getting your job. Of course, that one step could require you to pay up.  

4.  ‘900’ number scam

A rather uncommon but no less malicious cruise job scam could rip you off a huge sum with nothing in return. Many of fake websites or agencies often prompt their ‘victims’ to call a ‘900’ number. These numbers charge a greater sum for each call. Fraudsters scam off their profit by making unknowing people call such numbers often, even making them wait deliberately. The big bucks that would later be paid by you in phone bill for these calls would grease the scam runners’ palms.

5. Non-existent job offers

Many times, you could be presented fake job opening by posting them on websites. These openings are often links to other websites or sometimes even print outs from papers and other places. Everything would seem great. The only bummer might be that those jobs might no longer be available.

Making fake job openings or using older ones is what keeps this work scam going. This is most typical in marine jobs. Look closely for more authentic information mentioned on the websites. Also run a back ground check of your own before you give into such a scam.

6. Reveal it all scam

Another scam every marine should watch out for is where your personal information is asked as a part of the recruitment process. This cruise job scam could ask you for your personal information including bank details (in name of making direct payments at later stages), sometimes even asking for your passports and seafarers certificate.

This is a part of a much bigger scam that aims at identity theft, not to mention spamming your inbox with useless updates of job offers. Such work scams later provide crucial information for much bigger scams, and a whole lot of mess to deal with, not to mention a job which was in fact where it all started from.

What Do Naval Architects Do?

The science and technology of the field that we today know as naval architecture, has developed significantly over the last hundred years or so. This period has seen huge progress in the design and manufacture of engineering products and the marine technology. The advent of naval architects has made it even more smooth and quick. Naval architects are the people on whose shoulders rest the responsibility of the conquest of human kind on the high seas.

A naval architect is basically an engineer by profession who creates designs, constructs the marine vessels of all kinds and manages this complex process. The vessels include all sorts of merchant ships like cruise ships, oil or gas tankers, cargo ships, ferries etc. Apart from these, work boats like fishing boats, tugs, power boats and yachts come under this category. Industrial usage machines like the off shore drills, used for the extraction of oil and natural gas, FPSOs and semi submersibles are also designed and developed by naval architects. In addition to the civil segment, this field also provides its services to the military purposes for making of war ships, submarines, aircraft carriers, amphibious ships and destroyers etc. This makes naval architect, a professional, who offers services to the society in a manner that is unparalleled.

Though the profession is engineering based, these professionals need to have some idea and knowledge of other fields of study as well such as artistic designing, creativity and management. This is because, the responsibilities of a naval architect include a lot of things that may at the first instance look to be not in the field of play. The manufacture and the subsequent maintenance of all the marine equipment and vessels require great coordination between the different departments and having a working knowledge of all these goes a long way in helping the task of a naval architect. Thus, a person in this capacity who works at any of the shipyard, consultancies, design firms, navies or any other government organisations, has to have managerial and team management skills. It helps combine the contributions of each team member to bring about the desired end product.

A naval architect integrates the above mentioned activities and manages the entire project. This is the reason why it is of utmost importance for the person to have good and more importantly effective communication skills both verbal and written. A logical and artistic mind, a sound communication with people of all the different kinds of professions whether engineering or otherwise, attention to detail, patient and sound judgment are just some of the attributes that are looked for in any prospective naval architect.

The profession of a naval architect is a very dynamic one and requires constant updating on every aspect. This is why, it is said by the greats of this field that, in this profession anyone who ceases to be a student of the industry becomes stagnant and resistant to grow. Right from the education to the training and later to the job, being a naval architecture itself it is a very interesting life especially as it throws new challenges and opens new doors of knowledge.

Who is a Ship Chandler?

A ship chandler is a person who exclusively deals in supplying for a shipping vessel its required commodities. In other words, just like a grocer supplies food grains to households, a ship chandler supplies essentially required commodities to a ship and its crew.

The job of a ship chandler is very unique because it caters specifically to only one line of business therefore allowing a complete exclusivity to both parties – the seller as well as the client. Because of this exclusivity and the nature of the profession, it so happens that each and every ship chandler is held in high esteem and regard.

By approaching a ship chandler directly, it so happens that a ship’s crew can avoid the middlemen when it comes to a business transaction and thus save a lot of money which could be used in other productive areas.

Representation Image – Photograph by Ganesan Raghul

When it comes to a ship’s supplies, in the absence of a ship chandler, it so happens that there are a lot of people involved. The more number of involved people means a lot of time for transit and consequentially a lot of delay in the transit process. When a ship’s crew approaches a ship chandler, because of the naturalness of a ship chandler, a ship’s crew can get the necessary commodities directly from a one-person source. This point adds to the aspect of high level of discount as since the ship chandler is the only person involved in the sale, he can afford to procure the best deals for a ship’s crew at the right prices thus allowing him to give a high return to his client in the form of rebate or discount.

This is precisely the reason why ship chandlers are held in vogue. As the shipping industry has developed and peaked over the centuries, the job responsibilities of a ship chandler have also increased. Competition has always been high in the shipping industry but in the modern times there is not just competition from within a country but also internationally.

This high level of competition makes the scope and coverage of a ship chandler very high. With the shipping industry now expanding to a great new level, it is quite possible that the profession of a ship chandler might be soon offered as a part of a university’s curriculum.

This high level of competition also ensures that a well-learnt and experienced ship chandler earns a high rate of clients and thereby a huge remuneration even after providing with the necessary discount and rebate.

The role of a ship chandler has changed over the years. In the olden days, a ship chandler mainly used to provide ropes, sail cloths and other such details to a ship’s crew. In contemporary times, a ship chandler’s role has been modified to providing maintenance requirements, food supplies, chemical compounds for the purpose of cleaning and many other modern items.

But however the role might have digressed and transformed, a ship chandler still is one of the most important necessities when one thinks about shipping and naval vessels. Without the services of a ship chandler, a ship and its crew cannot be assured of quality commodities required in a ship. In a world of changing thoughts, actions and priorities, a ship chandler’s responsibility and duty, however has managed to remain very constant and absolutely relevant.

The Best Maritime Colleges in the United States

Careers related to the maritime world are rapidly becoming famous because of the rise in awareness among people. Whether it is marine engineering, ocean engineering, or any other specialization related to the marine world, getting a degree from a reputed university/college as well as enrolling in good online college classes gives a solid head-start to one’s career. Several colleges have come up in U.S in the past few years which provide a variety of courses related to the maritime world.

The article enlists some of the best maritime colleges in the U.S wherein you can pursue your dream of a successful maritime career. Different colleges provide different types of marine courses and one should select the course that best fits his or her interest and future needs. Take a look at the top maritime colleges of the US and select the right course for you.

Credits: BotMultichillT/wikipedia.org

The Best Maritime Colleges in the U.S.

Florida Institute of technology

The Florida Institute of technology provides several courses related to the marine and environmental systems. Some of the main courses include – coastal zone management, environmental sciences, ocean engineering, and marine science. Some of the special courses of the institute include an integration of all the above mentioned courses. Most of the programs offer Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and doctoral degrees.

Know more about the Florida Institute of technology here.

Maine Maritime Academy

Maine Maritime Academy is a small maritime institute but provides a big world of opportunities. Being a member of the International Association of Maritime Universities, its students participate in the student exchange program every year with colleges of countries such as Japan, China, Australia, Turkey etc. Raking top in the list of best placement maritime schools, Maine Maritime Academy provides courses such as marine engineering technology, marine engineering operation, marine transportation operation etc.

Know more about the Maine Maritime Academy here.

Maritime College – State University of New York (SUNY)

The Maritime College – State university of New York has been rated as one of the top maritime colleges in the US. In the past few years it has received great recognition and ratings. The salient feature of the college is that it has its own 565 foot Training Ship Empire State VI on which students get an opportunity to travel different parts of the world and also procure hands on experience. Moreover, the college also boasts of the best names in the maritime industry coming to them for recruitment. This is one college that shouldn’t be missed to be considered if you want a maritime career.

You can know more about SUNY Maritime here.

Massachusetts Maritime Academy

The Massachusetts Maritime Academy is one of the oldest maritime colleges in the U.S. The academy is located at the best strategic place for a maritime college and provides degrees such as marine engineering, marine safety and environmental protection, marine transportation etc. Some of the oldest and best maritime professionals serving the maritime industry are from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

You can know more about the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in here.

United States Naval Academy

The United States Naval Academy is one of the finest academies in the U.S for getting a naval architecture or ocean engineering degree. The academy has the finest technology and hi-tech support system to produce the best naval officers and engineers. The academy also has its own research facility which is also equipped with some of the best technologies in the marine world.

The University of New Orleans – Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Department

The Department of naval architecture and marine engineering of the University of New Orleans provides Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and even Ph.D. in the field of naval architecture and marine engineering. The institute has the best laboratories for research and education.

U.S. Merchant Marine Academy

The U.S Merchant Marine Academy is also almost a century old. Located near the famous city of New York, the U.S Merchant Marine Academy provides degrees in the field of marine engineering, marine transport, marine engineering systems, marine operation and technology, shipyard management etc. This is one academy which offers a large variety of courses in the field of merchant marine.

Texas A&M – University of Galveston

Texas A&M is one of the finest colleges in the U.S for learning marine engineering and marine engineering technology. The institute provides an interdisciplinary education in marine propulsion and maritime related engineering. The courses offered provide a perfect blend of marine and mechanical engineering to offer the best knowledge and training to its students.

Know more about the institute here.

United States Coast Guard Academy

The United States Coast Guard Academy provides naval architecture and marine engineering courses. The course is so structured that it provides a strong educational base to both to the coast guard students and to those pursuing marine engineering and naval architecture.

You can know more about the academy here.

Webb Institute of Engineering

The Webb Institute of Engineering provides the ultimate professional course for marine engineering and marine technology. The institute has a very well crafted syllabus for the four years engineering course which enables its students to absorb the engineering concepts gradually and efficiently. This is one of the institutes, which is not to be missed in case you are planning to do marine engineering.

Know more about Webb here.

Who is a Wiper on Ships?

If you have been looking for a job of a wiper on ships, then the good news would be that we can offer you a lot of useful information. As a maritime job, a wiper’s job can be a fairly good option for those looking for good onboard training, experience of working conditions on vessels and exposure to marine life.

But before you can know that for certain, here is information that would come really handy.

Credits: karelstudio/depositphotos.com

Who is a wiper?

A wiper on ships is mainly responsible for maintenance of the vessel. A wiper’s job on ships includes:

• Cleaning of the engine room

• Maintenance of the working area

• General maintenance of the engine department

• Assisting other personnel on the ship in various tasks

• Work as a part of the watch team

• Work with ordinary seamen aboard and assist them in various tasks

• To fill in for Qualified Members of Engine Department (QMED) when need be

A wiper’s responsibilities revolve around keeping the engine room and rest of the vessel well maintained. This is no easy task though.But if a marine career is what you are interested in, wiper marine job would be the best way to get a firsthand experience of life on ships.

Unlike most jobs on ships, a wiper gets to learn a lot more. A person’s time as a wiper on a ship can be regarded as the time of apprenticeship for preparing for a maritime job later in the future.

How to become a wiper on ship?

Since a wiper’s job is basically the beginning point of a marine career, good news is that qualification requirement for this position isn’t too much. All you need is a Merchant Mariners Document through coast guard or a USCG certificate as a wiper (Equivalent certificate for people in other countries).

The MMD is a basic requirement to qualify you as a certified person (QMED) to handle jobs on deck, including handling some marine equipment and acquainting you with basic terms and definitions of marine world. You must obtain your TWIC before you can get your MMD. A medical test including background test, drug test and physical fitnesstest would be needed to complete your application.

The best way for it would be to join in Wiper Advancement Program (WAP). This extended program helps wipers in their endorsement along with providing them with various level trainings the trainings include on board handling of equipment, working in engine rooms and an on job work experience.

Most employers do not seek extensive work experience in this field. However, having worked in similar departments before will augment your chances of securing a job. Besides these basic qualifications to become wiper on ships all you need is a love for sea and enthusiasm to learn.

To obtain a maritime job of wiper, the best way would be to get information from various jobsites. Studies have revealed that maximum vacancies for a wiper’s job are found through jobsites as opposed to directly though employers. Employers prefer to contact such sites too, for obtaining a pool of potential candidates. You can view and find out details about any vacancy you deem suitable. You must check for specific requirements of the employer before considering the application.

What is the expected salary for a wiper marine job?

As a wiper on ships, a person can expect a salary up to $175 to $320 per day (However, it depends on the country to which the concerned person belongs). Some employers may offer salary up to $19,000 to $23,000 per year salary too. However, salary for this post is highly subjected to the job requirements, vessel type, region and the employer. With experience, a person can expect to get higher rank, more responsibilities and better pay.

Who is a Maritime Expert Witness?

A maritime expert witness is of utmost importance when it comes to maritime law. A maritime expert witness is generally a person who is proficient in all aspects of marine areas and whose opinion in a court of law is highly valued and counted for.

When it comes to maritime law, it has to be understood that the scope of maritime law is very vast. In fact, in certain areas the scope of maritime law might extend to several countries connected by a common expanse of ocean or sea. Moreover in matters relating to the oceans or seas, it so happens that witnesses cannot be expected to be present at the scene where an incident or accident has taken place. It’s only with the help of a maritime witness that maritime lawyers can seek to provide absolute and complete justice to their clients.

In cases relating to maritime accidents like ships colliding, oil spill accidents, contraband or smuggling problems involving two or more nations, aspects related to building of ships and naval vessels and any other event pertaining to marine areas, the help of a maritime expert witness is needed.

Image for representation purpose only ; Image Credits : wikipedia.org

Maritime expert witnesses are known for their expertise because they can provide valuable help by just reconstructing points rather than be a physical witness to a said event or accident. It is this mental expertise that makes them as precious as a physical witness in the counterpart of maritime law.

A Maritime lawyer is the person who benefits the most with the help of a maritime expert witness. Considering that major areas of oceanic waters are inaccessible to common men, it becomes important that a marine law-court takes the aid of a maritime expert witness into consideration. Like in the oil spill in Louisiana, it would have been almost impossible for any common men to have noticed the oil spill promptly. Therefore in a marine law-court, experts are brought to state the case – either for or against and through their presentation of understanding the event or incident, correct judgment is provided.

Also, because maritime law involves the presence of so many different countries, it becomes important on the grounds of impartiality and fairness that a maritime lawyer employ the services of a maritime expert witness who will be able to provide expertise in the fairest of manner.

When it comes to shipping companies, it is important that the right kind of maritime witness is employed. Because when you take shipping companies, it is not just two business concerns involved, but also the matter of two separate nations also being involved. Therefore it becomes important that a very reliable maritime expert witness is chosen and that no party is victimized unnecessarily.

In today’s times employing a maritime expert witness is something that any dealing with maritime law needs to be done. This is because, a maritime expert witness offers not just expertise, but he also offers the guidance to go on the right path after understanding what the experts feel or think about any issue. Such guidance, in-turn helps not just maritime lawyers and their clients, but also justice to prevail rightfully in the end.

What Does a Maritime Consultant Do?

Maritime consultants are people who have the expertise to advice and suggest better trade routes and address other necessary shipping concerns to individuals and corporations engaged in the marine business to help them boost, advance and further their business positively.

Another important reason that maritime consultants play a very vital role in channelizing today’s shipping industry concerns is because of the various detrimental issues that have cropped up in the field of marine commercialization and marine ecosystem. Maritime consultants can, once again address these concerns by taking matters into their hands and advice the business sector about the dos and don’ts that need to be monitored and taken care of.

In today’s times, the profession of a maritime consultant has become majorly asking. Since the job entails providing expertise, it involves detailed studying and analysis of the concerned issue from the perspective of not only the concerned party but also from the perspective of the environment and any other factors which could cause a debilitating turn to the concerned issue.

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Academic Requirements

In terms of educational qualifications, while there are no specific qualifications required to be a maritime consultant, there are quite a few other requirements that good and effective maritime consultants should possess. The main thing that is required is experience, because more the experience maritime consultants have the quality of their services as highly instrumental professionals will be more. Additionally, in terms of experience it would be better if a maritime consultant possesses experience not just pertaining to his native country or region but also of many nations across the world. This feature is important in the profession of maritime consultants because wider is the knowledge background of a maritime consultant, the more reliable his services will be perceived to be. Moreover, since shipping is such a business activity which encompasses oceans and seas which are spread across the globe, it is but natural that the shipping business tends to be a multinational event. And as such, it will be in the interest of maritime consultants if they have experience to deal with not just one country, but innumerable ones.

Also, when it comes to experience about many countries, it becomes equally important for maritime consultants to be fluent in multiple languages apart from English. It is a known fact that, while English is the universal denominator when it comes to languages, there are many nations and people who are not comfortable with speaking English. Therefore, it would be beneficial for maritime consultants if they are able to converse well in such regional languages and reduce the discomfort of the people, thereby garnering more appreciation for their services and expertise – not just in terms of their work and profession, but also in terms of their ease and comfort with many languages.

Conclusion

The profession of maritime consultants is unique because it caters extensively to the shipping industry with no other fields overlapping its scope and ambit. A maritime consultant needs to have the necessary patience and steadfastness to execute his job in a manner befitting the title allotted to his profession. Because, if maritime consultants falter or make a mistake, it could be that the error could be a minor one or it could be that the error is a major one. In the case of the former, rectification is possible but in the case of the latter, the aspect of rectification will be far too late. Therefore, it’s the responsibility of maritime consultants to provide the best possible advices and solutions so as to preserve not just the survival of the shipping industry but also of the ecosystem on which the industry solely depends on.